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26 March, 2007
A scheduled strike was set to begin this morning, 26 March, by union members of Le Syndicat National des Agents du Secteur de l’Electricité (SYNASEG), ICEM’s electric affiliate in the Ivory Coast. The strike is against CIE, the country’s electricity operator and a subsidiary of French-based Bouygues Group.
The dispute is over pay. SYNASEG and CIE last negotiated on 20 March, with officials of the Labour Ministry, Mines and Energy Ministry, and a representative of Ivory Coast’s work inspectorate mediating. When the company did not provide a response to the union’s ultimate proposal by late last week, the strike was called for early today. A meeting is scheduled for 15h00 today in Abidjan, the capital of Ivory Coast.
SYNASEG Gen. Sec. François Yao
“We agreed to lower our salary demands from 25% to 15%,” stated SYNASEG Gen. Sec. François Yao. “We consider this our final offer.”
CIE and government officials held a private meeting late last week on the dispute, but did not inform the union of the contents of that meeting, an obvious breach of common social dialogue.
Besides a 15% salary hike for workers, SYNASEG is demanding 12% for supervisors. CIE’s did increase its salary proposal in talks prior to 20 March, but only to 7% for workers and 5% for supervisors.